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the-best-used-coupes-you-can-buy

best-used-coupes

A sleek and stylish coupé will always be a desirable commodity. It's the kind of car you see on film posters&nbsp;and in pretentious fragrance ads. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/coupes/n17019">best coupés</a>&nbsp;exude class, elegance and athleticism – and, as a result,&nbsp;car makers tend to charge you a packet.

The used car market is a slightly different story. With age comes lower prices, and this category is&nbsp;no exception. In other words, you can pick up a sleek and swoopy secondhand model for the price of a sensible new&nbsp;family hatchback.

Here, we've brought together our top 10 favourites, in both two-door and four or five-door forms. Click on the links under each review, and you can even buy one of the cars via our online used car classifieds site.&nbsp;

Slideshow story: please click the right-hand arrow above to continue, or simply scroll down if you’re reading on your mobile

Best used coupés

Hatchback

The VW Group famously spends more money on research and development than any rival – and as a result, perhaps it should be no surprise that our testers rate its cars so consistently highly.

The fact that many of those cars use the same underpinnings also helps, because it means that if they get it right once, they have the foundations to keep on getting it right.

However, the Volkswagen brand faces plenty of tough competition, often from within, because the rapidly rising Seat and Skoda brands that are also part of the group have access to the same technology.

VOLKSWAGEN

ARTEON

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/arteon/hatchback/used-review/n17885">Volkswagen Arteon</a>&nbsp;shares parts with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/passat/saloon/used-review/n810">2015-2022 VW Passat</a>, but don't go thinking it's merely a glitzier version.

It comes with a practical hatchback and a huge boot, and the Arteon has a range of impressively punchy and efficient engines to choose from. From 2020 onwards, you could even buy a plug-in hybrid version that can travel up to 35 miles on electric power alone.

It's also well equipped, wonderfully spacious and extremely sophisticated. Few can match it for its refinement. Its reliability record has been a bit mixed through the years, but owners seem happy with their cars on the whole, and most issues seem centred around the touchscreen or non-engine electrical faults.

For less than £20,000, you can put a 2022&nbsp;model on your driveway, which, considering it wasn't a cheap car new, makes it a bit of a used car bargain.&nbsp;

"Very few cars exude the class of the Arteon at this price level. It always feels to me an equal to the plush Audi A7, and in some ways almost better to drive." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found:&nbsp;2022&nbsp;Volkswagen Arteon 1.5&nbsp;TSI Elegance, 47,000&nbsp;miles, £19,500

10: Volkswagen Arteon

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Punchy, efficient engines</li>
	<li>Well equipped in all trim levels</li>
	<li>Spacious inside</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Auto 'box a tad jerky in traffic</li>
	<li>Concerning reliability record in some of our surveys</li>
	<li>Some rivals are sharper to drive</li>
</ul>

Coupe

Mercedes’ line-up is vast – ranging from the A-Class family hatchback through to staple saloons such as the C-Class and E-Class, and onwards towards multiple SUVs, luxury saloons and even sports cars. Coupés and convertibles are thrown into the mix as well.

As one of the ‘big three’ German brands, Mercedes most often finds itself competing with Audi and BMW but more recently has found itself fending off Jaguar and Volvo, too.

Mercedes models are known for comfort. One example of this is the E-Class, because while the Audi A6 has a plusher interior and the BMW 5 Series handles better, the E-Class is probably the most comfortable for a long motorway journey.

MERCEDES-BENZ

C CLASS

This classy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/c-class/coupe/used-review/n993">Mercedes C-Class Coupé</a>&nbsp;is more than just a two-door version of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/c-class/saloon/review/n70">Mercedes C-Class</a>&nbsp;saloon: great steps were&nbsp;made to make sure it drives as good as its looks promise.&nbsp;

And it worked. On the road, the C-Class Coupé is capable&nbsp;and composed, and&nbsp;it handles competently, rides superbly and has a suitably smart interior.

True, its E-Class sibling has more pizzazz and has proved slightly more reliable, but the C-Class is an excellent proposition&nbsp;- your friends and family will be impressed by it, and you'll love it. The equivalent BMWs drive better, admittedly, and the Audis are better finished, but we think the C-Class strikes a very happy medium.&nbsp;

"I like the size of the C-Class, and if you find the E-Class too big for multi-storeys and country lanes, give it a look. It's a classy car and good value." - George Hill, used cars writer

We found:&nbsp;2020&nbsp;Mercedes C-Class Coupé 200 AMG Line, 30,500 miles, £23,250

9: Mercedes C-Class Coupé

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Comfortable ride on air suspension</li>
	<li>Good handling</li>
	<li>Smart interior</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>C300 model is a bit lacklustre</li>
	<li>Lazy automatic gearbox</li>
	<li>Reliability average</li>
</ul>

Audi is a brand that sets the standard for interior quality, and this, combined with its vast and ever-growing model line-up, has helped it become one of the ‘big three’ German prestige car makers, along with BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

The A3 hatchback, A4 executive saloon and Q7 SUV are all common - yet upmarket - sights on UK roads.

At least some of Audi's success over the past 30 years can be attributed to the growth in sales of vehicles with four-wheel drive; the company arguably led the way in bringing 4x4 technology into the mainstream, with its Quattro coupé in the early 1980s.

Today, most Audis are available with at least the option of four-wheel drive, while the list of SUVs from the brand includes the Q2, Q3, Q5 and Q7.

AUDI

The second-generation, five-door&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a7/hatchback/review/n151">Audi A7</a>&nbsp;is a beautifully made and comfortable cruiser with a surprising amount of space inside for front and rear occupants.

That space continues when it comes to the A7 Sportback's boot. With a healthy capacity, it's bigger than that of most of its&nbsp;rivals, including the huge&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/8-series-gran-coupe/saloon/review/n20185">BMW 8 Series Gran Coupé</a>; the A7 also has a wide hatchback tailgate, making it easier to load in larger items.

Behind the wheel, the A7 is competent rather than great fun to drive. There's also a question mark over Audi's reliability, especially relating to non-engine electrics. However, its used prices are highly attractive, as is its looks.&nbsp;

“I think it's&nbsp;annoying that you have to use a touchscreen to control so many things&nbsp;in the later versions of the Audi A7, but at least it gets its own dedicated display.” –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/will-nightingale/n1020">Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor</a>

We found:&nbsp;2022 Audi A7 2.0 TFSI 45 Black Edition,&nbsp;33,000&nbsp;miles, £29,500

8: Audi A7

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Strong engines right across the range</li>
	<li>High-quality interior with good use of high-quaity materials</li>
	<li>Generous amount of standard equipment</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Fiddly infotainment system</li>
	<li>Slow accelerator and gearbox response in some models</li>
	<li>Safe but hardly exciting handling</li>
	<li>Reliability can be an issue</li>
</ul>

With a stunning interior, this previous generation of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/cla/saloon/review/n19245">Mercedes CLA</a>&nbsp;cuts quite a dash. It looks lavish, with great tech and lots of pizzazz.

Meanwhile, under its handsome bonnet, there's a good range of petrol engines to choose from, starting with a 134bhp CLA 180 and finishing with a rip-snorting CLA 45. There was even a diesel. All push the CLA along well, and all were decently refined.&nbsp;

In the bends, the CLA steers and handles nicely, even if not quite to BMW levels. The ride can occasionally be a little jiggly, but not enough to put you off the CLA's many charms.&nbsp;

It's a four-door coupé, so it's fairly practical, with plenty of room for four. The boot is a handy&nbsp;size, as large as the one that you’ll find in the regular&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/a-class/hatchback/review/n88">Mercedes A-Class.</a>&nbsp;Reliability looks good, too, as does its pricing: the CLA is cheaper age-for-age than some of its rivals from Audi and BMW. Its four doors, healthier reliability and neat looks push it above its sibling, the C-Class Coupe, in our list here.&nbsp;

"This generation really improved the CLA. It's much better to drive than earlier models and is nicely&nbsp;refined. My neighbours were really impressed by it, too." - George Hill, used cars writer

We found:&nbsp;2022&nbsp;Mercedes CLA 180&nbsp;AMG Line Executive, 41,000&nbsp;miles, £20,995

7: Mercedes CLA

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Wonderful interior</li>
	<li>Good refinement</li>
	<li>Residuals should be strong</li>
	<li>Reliability looks good</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Restricted visibility</li>
	<li>Some rivals are better to drive</li>
	<li>Ride can be jiggly</li>
</ul>

This two-door&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a5/saloon/review/n27287">Audi A5 Coupé</a>&nbsp;is a graceful grand tourer of a coupé, and few rivals can match its range of talents.

Treats include tidy handling, a smart interior, a comfortable ride and great performance. The<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/e-class/coupe/review/n17261">&nbsp;Mercedes E-Class Coupé</a>&nbsp;can seat four people too, but the Audi infotainment system is easier to operate. There's also a five-door version, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a5/hatchback/review/n170">Audi A5 Sportback</a>, which drives just as well and looks great and is perfect for families.

However, Audi's reliability has a question mark over it, and the E-Class is more reliable on paper. The A5 counters that by being slightly cheaper to buy age-for-age.&nbsp;

"So sharp looking, this car, and if you opt for the five-door Sportback, it's really practical. Not great for rear head room if you're 6ft 2in tall like me, though, and the Mercs beat it for reliability." - George Hill, used cars writer

We found:&nbsp;2022&nbsp;Audi A5 Coupé 2.0 TFSI&nbsp;SE, 53,000 miles, £19,900

6: Audi A5 Coupé

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Plush interior with good use of high-quality materials</li>
	<li>Strong and smooth engines whether petrol or diesel</li>
	<li>Practical (by coupé standards) with reasonable rear room and good boot</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Steering could be sweeter and some rivals better to drive</li>
	<li>Not as well equipped as some alternatives</li>
	<li>Firm sports suspension can take away from comfort</li>
</ul>

E CLASS

If you don't need four doors yet desire&nbsp;a suave and comfy four-seat coupé that’s good to drive and wears a premium badge, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/e-class/coupe/used-review/n17879">Mercedes E-Class Coupé</a>&nbsp;satisfies – and then some.

The&nbsp;design is&nbsp;sophisticated, with an&nbsp;understated elegance, and it&nbsp;shares its underpinnings with the contemporary 2016-2024&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/e-class/saloon/review/n17174">Mercedes E-Class</a>&nbsp;saloon, which is&nbsp;a&nbsp;good thing, because that’s a very competent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/executive-cars/n2004">executive car</a>. You can also expect good reliability and a classy interior.

There's plenty of room inside for four, and a good range of refined petrol and diesel engines to satisfy any mood. The E220d is punchy and economical, but if you prefer petrol, the E300 is a delightfully smooth shifter.&nbsp;

"In some ways, the E-Class has it all. It's good-looking, great to drive, comfortable and reliable. I especially love the interior. It's not as well made as it looks, maybe, but it is stunning." - George Hill, used cars writer

We found:&nbsp;2022&nbsp;Mercedes&nbsp;E220d Coupé AMG Line, 68,000&nbsp;miles, £29,995

5: Mercedes E-Class Coupé

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Lovely interior</li>
	<li>Refinement</li>
	<li>Comfortable ride</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Vague steering</li>
	<li>Awkward boot</li>
	<li>Expensive infotainment option</li>
	<li>Merc reliability a little mixed</li>
</ul>

Munich-based BMW is most famous for its sports saloons, in particular the 3 Series and 5 Series. However, it actually builds almost every type of car imaginable: everything from two-seat convertibles to seven-seat MPVs.

The cheapest model in the BMW range is the 1 Series hatchback, which is a rival to the Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Volkswagen Golf. Meanwhile, at the other extreme is the M8&nbsp;grand tourer, which costs more than £120,000.

BMW was also quick to capitalise on the rise of the SUV and now has ten in its range: the X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, X6, X7 and XM, plus the electric iX3 and iX.

All of this makes it one of the big three German prestige brands, along with Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

2 SERIES

Rather than being based on the contemporary&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/1-series/hatchback/review/n26">BMW 1 Series</a>&nbsp;hatchback, as its predecessor was, the current&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/2-series/sports/review/n125">BMW 2 Series</a>&nbsp;actually shares its underpinnings with its bigger brother and our favourite here, the 4 Series.&nbsp;

Its closest rival for size in this list is the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/cla/coupe/review/n19245">Mercedes CLA</a>, which has four doors and front-wheel drive (as opposed to two doors and rear-wheel drive). That makes the CLA by far&nbsp;the more practical of the pair, but the 2 Series counters with a classier interior and&nbsp;sharper handling.

Step up to a used version of the&nbsp;truly impressive 4 Series if you can, but this&nbsp;2 Series is still a cracking coupé and a great second-hand buy. Few can match it for driving pleasure.&nbsp;

"The 2 Series condenses many of its 4 Series sibling's strengths into a smaller, more affordable package. I particularly like its user-friendly infotainment system." –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/lawrence-cheung/n23691">Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor</a>

We found:&nbsp;2022&nbsp;BMW 220i&nbsp;Coupé M Sport auto, 35,000&nbsp;miles, £19,495

4: BMW 2 Series Coupe

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Sharp handling</li>
	<li>M240i feels special</li>
	<li>Good infotainment system</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Firm ride without adaptive suspension</li>
	<li>Not especially practical</li>
	<li>Some useful features are optional</li>
</ul>

4 SERIES

Admittedly, this isn't&nbsp;the latest and greatest&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/4-series/hatchback/review/n17260">BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé</a>&nbsp;model, which we heartily recommend too, but this&nbsp;previous iteration remains a great thing to behold, and it's much cheaper to buy.

It’s&nbsp;smooth and&nbsp;refined, and you can get it with&nbsp;rear or four-wheel drive, and with&nbsp;a large range of excellent engines. This highly desirable Gran Coupé version, with five doors, a hatchback rear and a decent-sized boot, is practical and even family-friendly. Add top-notch infotainment and superb value for money, and it's tough to beat.&nbsp;

"My nephew has one. He loves it, and when two kids came along, he kept it. They all fit in well, and he turns his nose up at his friends in their SUVs." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found:&nbsp;2020&nbsp;BMW 430i&nbsp;Gran Coupé M Sport auto, 79,000&nbsp;miles, £13,995

3: BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>More practical than the coupé</li>
	<li>Excellent handling</li>
	<li>Expansive engine line-up</li>
	<li>Very affordable</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Dated interior</li>
	<li>High boot lip</li>
	<li>Firm M Sport suspension</li>
	<li>Reliability a bit mixed</li>
</ul>

Over the years, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/tt/coupe/review/n12">Audi TT</a>&nbsp;has managed to fend off all competition that tries to match its winning combination of class, practicality and fine driving dynamics.

With sharp, agile handling, it's a joy to drive, and thanks to a class-leading interior and confidence-inspiring&nbsp;reliability, it's effortless to live with as well. There's a range of fine engines to choose from and well-equipped trims.&nbsp;

With prices starting from just £10,000 for early TTs of this generation, it's simply a stellar buy and a terrific used coupé.

"It's the comfort of a TT that always impresses me. Yes, it's great to drive, good to own and reliable, but you can potter around town and it's still a lovely thing." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found:&nbsp;2022&nbsp;Audi TT 2.0&nbsp;TFSI Sport, 34,000&nbsp;miles, £25,000

2: Audi TT

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Fabulous interior design and quality for a car in this class</li>
	<li>Brilliant handling makes for a fun driving excperience</li>
	<li>Comfortable ride in most models, even on rougher roads</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Limited rear-seat space for adults</li>
	<li>Not very well equipped</li>
	<li>Higher powered models can be costly to run</li>
</ul>

This latest&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/4-series/coupe/review/n62">BMW 4 Series</a>&nbsp;is a coupé version of the ever-popular&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/3-series/saloon/review/n91">BMW 3 Series&nbsp;</a>executive saloon, featuring a wider rear end, a stiffer body, and a lower centre of gravity. All of these features combine to make this one of the most rewarding cars to drive currently on sale.

In fact, all versions are great to drive. Even our favourite entry-level 420i is a hoot, while the range-topping 369bhp M440i is a six-cylinder riot of power and fun. It's in the corners that all 4 Series shine, with quick steering, plenty of grip and eager handling, despite which the ride is quite supple in all versions. It beats all rivals from Audi and Mercedes for sophistication.

It's reasonably spacious inside and very well-finished, too. On top of that, a&nbsp;three-year-old version of our favourite 420i model&nbsp;now comes with a healthy saving on what you'd pay for&nbsp;a new one, and its reliability is excellent.&nbsp;

All in, then, a used 4 Series truly is a brilliant all-rounder. It deserves the top slot here.&nbsp;

“The 4 Series’ seats are more heavily bolstered than those of some rivals, so they hold you in place better through corners. For keen drivers like me, that's a big bonus.” –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/will-nightingale/n1020">Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor</a>

We found:&nbsp;2022&nbsp;BMW 420i&nbsp;M Sport, 42,000 miles, £26,995

1: BMW 4 Series Coupé

<h3>Strengths</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Entertaining driving experience</li>
	<li>Rapid M440i</li>
	<li>Smart interior</li>
</ul>

<h3>Weaknesses</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Some rivals have bigger boots</li>
	<li>Far from the cheapest used coupé on the market</li>
	<li>Some road noise</li>
</ul>

The Best used coupés you can buy 

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Strong performance</li> <li>Good balance between ride and handling</li> <li>Excellent build quality</li> <li>Decent practicality</li> <li>Sophisticated interior</li></ul>

Coupés are all about style, but while practicality undoubtedly takes a back seat to aesthetics, these cars still need to be easy to live with on a daily basis. It’s this that distinguishes a coupé from an out-and-out sports car.

Fortunately, there’s a wide range of style-focused models available, and you don’t even need to spend silly money to buy or run one.

Those interested in coupés that don't cost a fortune to buy or run, look no further. All these used options are good to drive and great value for money too

The Best used coupés you can buy

Those interested in coupés that don't cost a fortune to buy or run, look no further. All these used options are good to drive and great value for money too...

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